Given everything emanating from Europe at the minute, both as legislation directed at British bikers and as possible threats, like compulsory day-glo, many riders want to act, stand up and say ‘listen to us and our industry’.
The Type Approval Regulation that is working its way through the legislative process at the minute and is at committee stage and amendments are being discussed. Some of these are good, the Chairman of the committee, Malcolm Harbour is prepared to listen to us and has tabled some good amendments, but at the same time, under pressure from the ABS industry, German MEPs have tabled amendments to fit ABS to everything from 50cc mopeds up, which will add so much to the cost of commuter bikes that there’ll be no reason at all to own one. Others wish to include all dirt bikes as well, trial and enduro, while a French MEP wishes to see road-side stop and check powers given to police or gov agencies to check we haven’t tampered with ANY part of power train, from air filter to rear tyre size, as well as checking our emissions.
Luckily our own Dept for Transport is concerned that there have been no impact assessments carried out on the effect all this legislation will have on consumers and the aftermarket industry, so we have the ears of them as well. Not wholly sympathetic, but they are listening to our man Nich Brown who’s been meeting them. Then there’s the crazy ban on bikes over 7 years old from cities in France and the dreaded day-glo/reflective clothing requirement, which is also proposed in Ireland, but the Irish want full sleeve dayglo jackets for riders and pillions! (including not being able to wear a rucksack if it obscures the dayglo!)
ENOUGH!
All this crap is strangling motorcycling, so it’s our duty to highlight this and what better way than to strangle the nation’s arteries, it’s motorways and dual carriageways?
Here’s the plan for Flash Mob Motorway Mayhem.
September 25th is a Sunday. It’s a week before the IMCO Committee vote on all their final amendments.
We want to show that we are mature, and while still in political negotiations, have chosen a Sunday for our FIRST event, not a week day. Gathering from noon at selected service areas, we roll at 1pm, all over the country at exactly the same time.
If it’s a 3 lane carriageway we use 1 or 2 and ride at a perfectly legal 45-48 mph.
We ride for maybe 15/20 minutes and bugger off, Flash Mob style. Yes, 125s won’t be able to come, but there are dual carriageways everywhere, so possibilities exist everywhere.
We’ve all witnessed the tailbacks that can happen when a truck tries to pass a caravan…
The strength of this is in simultaneous action, so that national radio and press notice and we sidestep local news, though they too will pick up on it.
There will be one central phone number for press contact, so there’s no need to panic!
There will be no roundabouts or traffic lights to split the run. No-one, can take a wrong turning. No overheating engines.
We do not need marshals, just one person with a watch to see when it’s nearly 1pm.
We have the right to peaceful protest. We do not cause congestion as a mode of transport, but there is no reason why we can’t all go for a Sunday ride at a safe and sedate pace. Isn’t that what the Police keep asking us to do?
We won’t be the congestion, all the traffic behind us will be. Anyway, we may choose to only ride a couple of junctions and then turn around and go home the other way…
It’ll only take a couple of hours of our time and we’ll still be home in time for Late Sunday lunch.
This is local, everyone, even Cornwall has a main traffic artery somewhere.
Speak to your local MAG group about organising one near you, why travel? Organise one yourself and let me know where.
The MAG website and MCN will be advertising all the start points, ask everyone you know to attend one. What else are you doing on a Sunday?
September 25th. Keep it Free! Direct Action Politics is back!